Risk Assessments For Technical Subjects
Just wondered what others expereinces were of risk assessments for technical subjects at school.
My son is 11, athetoid CP, wheelchair user, AAC user and has just started our local Secondary school where most things are going very well. However the technical dept (inc textiles and "food tech") are very concerned about what he can actually safely do (they have never had a kid like him before) and have asked for full risk assessments to be done - but by someone who is very knowledgable about the disability/education side but not expereinced in these technical areas. Now it is, I imagine, quite right to have these risk assessments - however it does seem as if they are VERY cagey about letting him do anything hands on - even with full TA support - and so I just wondered what other places/people do or have done?
- For example my son would love to use a saw or do some soldering - he would need a TA to hold the equipment and he would work hand over hand - but I can see that due to his athetosis there is a risk that his hand might jerk off or whatever and of course there is then the risk that he would end up in the firing line (as it were) of either the saw, the blow torch or whatever...! So it is not easy but there must be some precedents somewhere....mustn't there...!?
Just wondered what others expereinces were of risk assessments for technical subjects at school.
My son is 11, athetoid CP, wheelchair user, AAC user and has just started our local Secondary school where most things are going very well. However the technical dept (inc textiles and "food tech") are very concerned about what he can actually safely do (they have never had a kid like him before) and have asked for full risk assessments to be done - but by someone who is very knowledgable about the disability/education side but not expereinced in these technical areas. Now it is, I imagine, quite right to have these risk assessments - however it does seem as if they are VERY cagey about letting him do anything hands on - even with full TA support - and so I just wondered what other places/people do or have done?
- For example my son would love to use a saw or do some soldering - he would need a TA to hold the equipment and he would work hand over hand - but I can see that due to his athetosis there is a risk that his hand might jerk off or whatever and of course there is then the risk that he would end up in the firing line (as it were) of either the saw, the blow torch or whatever...! So it is not easy but there must be some precedents somewhere....mustn't there...!?